Food Giveaway To Operate From Two Locations

BOYNTON BEACH — The Lord`s Place food giveaway will begin operating at two locations next week.

Food for most of the 600 to 800 people who receive the government surplus goods will be distributed at the South Technical Education Center, off South Congress Avenue, on Feb. 5 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Any people who walked or rode bicycles to the old site, the city`s Civic Center, may continue to pick up food there, program administrator Jim Peterman said.

For those people, food will be available at the Civic Center, 128 E. Ocean Ave., from 2 until 4 p.m., Peterman said.

The program, which operated at the Civic Center for 14 months, was forced to relocate earlier this month because increasing crowds and traffic posed safety hazards, city officials said.

City officials relented and allowed people without transportation to the school to continue to pick up food at the city building. But anyone who arrives at the Civic Center in a car will be directed to the school, Peterman said.

``We will only have food for about 50 people at the Civic Center,`` he said. ``If people abuse this location that the city is continuing to provide, I don`t know what will happen.``

Recreation and Park Director Charlie Frederick said his department will oversee the distribution of food at the Civic Center.

Food recipients who travel to the school should not arrive before 3 p.m., Peterman said. While the program operated at the Civic Center, people arrived as much as an hour before food was distributed, to secure a better spot in the line.

But because of school traffic, officials there are asking the people to arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before starting time, he said.

Peterman, who orginally resisted the relocation when it was announced in early January, said the new location offers advantages that the Civic Center did not.

``It`s going to work out better for us out there,`` Peterman said. The food line will be indoors; people waited outside at the Civic Center.

South Technical Education Center is considering offering free services for food recipients, including blood-pressure checks and nutritional information. The school also will raffle off free services such as auto repairs and hair styling. All work be performed by students.

``We`re looking at things our students could do for the people at a very minimal cost,`` said school director Leonard Goforth.